The Training Program in Molecular Hematology is designed to prepare physicians and postdoctoral scientists for independent, research-oriented careers in hematology. The program draws on the research interests and expertise of 17 funded faculty members in the Divisions of Pediatric and Adult Hematology/Oncology, Departments of Pathology, Biological Chemistry, Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Cellular and Molecular Biology, the Life Sciences Institute and the Howard Hughes Institute at the University of Michigan, as well as two individuals whose primary experience is in industry. Active areas of research include 1) molecular and cell biology of the immune system, 2) molecular basis of neoplastic cell growth, and 3) molecular biology of hemostasis and thrombosis. A Selection/Monitoring Committee will recruit MD or PhD trainees with strong academic credentials who desire a scholarly career encompassing hematology teaching and research. MD trainees will have had 3 years of house officer training in Pediatrics or Internal Medicine and a year of clinical training in Pediatric or Adult Hematology/Oncology, and PhD trainees will have a major interest in hematology-related research. Prior to starting in the lab, MD trainees are encouraged to participate in a two-month Postgraduate Research Training Program in Cell and Molecular Biology. Trainees then spend 2-3 years in the lab under supervision of a faculty Lab Mentor, developing expertise in posing feasible scientific questions, acquiring skills to answer these questions, and critically evaluating data obtained. After entering the lab, trainees are continuously mentored and evaluated semi-annually by a Mentoring Committee. Trainees will present the results of their investigations, participate in discussions of data obtained by their colleagues, attend relevant research seminars and interact with faculty members in basic sciences. During the course of training, each trainee is expected to submit a proposal for extramural approval and author a research manuscript. Relevance: The goal of this Program is to produce trainees successful in pursuing careers in academic hematology. The underlying mechanisms responsible for diseases of the blood (including cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma) remain unknown. Improved understanding of the basic science of these hematologic diseases will lead to more effective and less toxic treatments for these conditions.